The Collas Crill STEP Guernsey lectures in March will feature two topical issues relevant to trust practitioners in Guernsey.

BDO London’s Martin Callighan will deliver the Collas Crill STEP Guernsey evening lecture on 7 March on the topic of resolving disputes and dealing with Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise (HMRC). On 8 March the co-owner of Offshore Consulting (Guernsey), Will Morgan, will deliver the lunchtime lecture focussing on stakeholders and the presentation of trust accounts.

Mr Callaghan will discuss the recent focus on the public perception of tax avoidance and tax evasion and will consider advances in HMRC information and intelligence-gathering, mapping out the methods of resolving disputes from alternative dispute resolution to internal review and will also discuss the subject of voluntary disclosures.

As a chartered tax adviser, Mr Callaghan has experience dealing with all types of investigations including voluntary disclosures, tax fraud investigations conducted by HMRC and providing ad hoc advice to other tax advisers. He has advised on a number of offshore and UK-based property investors in relation to commercial property acquisitions in Europe, the Far East and the Americas.

His areas of specialism include the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility/Swiss Tax Agreement and international tax issues, both corporate and personal, with a particular focus on corporate residence and UK domicile. Mr Callaghan has presented a number of times on a wide range of issues including HMRC’s latest procedures for investigating tax fraud.

Collas Crill senior associate, Karen Farman, said: “Martin Callaghan has extensive experience in tax-related investigations and I’m sure it will be an insightful lecture into dealing with the practicalities of HMRC.”

Mr Morgan’s lecture will consider the impact of The Companies (Guernsey) Law 2008, on audits, dividends, solvency and authorised shares and accounts disclosure. He will also present an ‘idiots guide to reviewing trust accounts’ focusing on how to review trust accounts, what to look for and what methods to use.

As a qualified accountant, who originally trained with Ernst & Young, Guernsey, Mr Morgan went on to train accounts and trust professionals for BPP Professional Education training in ACCA, ICSA and other professional qualifications. He set up Offshore Consulting in 2007 with the aim of providing project resources to the financial services sector.

STEP Chairman Paul Hodgson noted that sections of the Companies (Guernsey) Law which are covered by the lecture have a wide impact on those involved in fiduciary work.

“Mr Morgan’s lecture will extremely valuable for anyone wishing to gain a deeper understanding of trust accounts. Both the speakers we have managed to secure for the March lectures series are of high calibre and we expect them to be popular.”

The March evening lecture begins at 5.30pm while the lunch time lecture starts at 12 noon. The 45-minute seminars each cost £20 for members, £30 for non-members and £10 for students.

For more information and to reserve seats contact fionaroberts@newtelsurf.com.